Signal attachment for flashlights



1952 RE. BURDICK I SIGNAL ATTACHMENT FOR FLASHLIGHTS I Filed Feb. 2, 19 50 Patented Jan. 8, 1952 UNITED [STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,581,784; I, a V a w SIGNAL ATTACHMENT Fort FLASHLIGHTS Frederick E. Burdick', New London, Conn.

Application February 2, 1950,.Serial No. 141,894,

This invention relates to improvements in a attachments being used for numerous signaling purposes such, for example, as by police oflicers in directing traflic, particularly in dark areas at the scene of an accident or otherwise. Such previously used attachments have, in general, "been of a cumbersome and unhandy nature, however,

- 2Claims. (c1. lit-329) due to the fact that they are of a stiff nature and project beyond the lamp end of the flashlight an appreciable distance, whereby the same cannot readily be carried upon the person of the user, such as a police oflice'r. Further, the nature of the signal attachment ha been such that they'are subject to fracture and breakage upon the same being bumped into hard surfaces and objects. Also, when. attached to a flashlight for signaling purposes, the flashlight is not readily usable for illuminating purposes other than for signaling unless the attchment is firstv detached from the flashlight. a

It is'an object of the present invention to 'provide a signal attachment which may be quickly secured to the lamp end of a conventionalflashlight, said attachment being flexible, whereby the same may be readily 'foldedove'r the'outer end against the sides of the flashlight'casing when not in use, thus rendering the flashlight andIattachment readily capable of being carried iipon'the person of the user in a coatfor trousers pocket, for example. I

It is anotherobject of the invention to provide a. signal attachment which may be colored for displaying a suitable'si'gnal color such'as red; the construction being such, however, that the clear white light of the flashlight may be displayed for illuminating purposes upon any desired surface or object without removing the attachment from the flashlighi-fandfwith'out di'sarr'anging the attachment relative toth'e' position'in which the attachment is used for signaling purposes;

'It is a further object of the invention to Provide signaling'attachment' for' flashlights which may be quickly and securely attached to the lamp end of a conventional flashlight in such manner that the flexible material substantially surrounds the lamp end of the flashlight and extends a substantial distance therebeyond, the flexible material being 'held inextended, substantially"cylindrical provide a flexible signal attachment for a flashlight which is rugged and durable in use and capable of long life even though subjected to numerous foldings such as when the attachment is following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, said drawing being for purposesv ofillustration only, however, and is not, to 'be considered restrictive.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig.1 is a side elevation of a flashlight having attached thereto in extended operative position a signal attachment embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the signal attachment taken on the'line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

' Fig.3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the flashlight and attachment in a position rotated from the position thereof shown in Fig. 1 and the attachment being illustrated in full lines in folded position and, in dot and dash lines, in

"of said attachment being broken away to illustrate detailsthereof.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the signal attachment shown in Fig. 4 and taken on the line 5-- -5- thereof.

Referring to the, details illustrated on the drawing, a conventional flashlight IU of the portable hand type is illustrated as being substan-,- tially cylindrical. It is to be understood, however, that the shape of the flashlight body may vary from a cylindrical exterior and may, for example, be polygonal in cross section. Also, in the exemplary embodiment of flashlight illustratedin the drawings, the lamp end 42 thereof is belled somewhat and at its outer end has a slightly larger diameter than that of the body thereoflthus providing a tapered or frusto-conical section M which connects the lamp end of the flashlight to the body thereof. A conven-'- tional switch l6 projects slightly from the exterior surface of the body of the flashlight [0.

The signal attachment embodying the present invention is adapted for use with the flashlight IO and comprises a sheath-like signal member l8 which is preferably made from a substantially rectangular or square sheet of flexible, translucent or transparent synthetic res- 1 inous material of which polyethylene is one example which has been found to be highly suitable. The material from which the member I8 is formed is also tough so as readily to permit folding without being torn, cracked, or rendered unusablefor the purposes to be described.

The sheet of material from which signal member I8 is fermed is folded Melinda-longitudinal axis sojashtoiprsent ua somewhat .tubiilar configuration when attached to the flashlight H! as illustrated in the figures of the drawing;

Two of the opposite edges ,of the sheetpf naterial are'overlapped adjacent ene' ehd*thefof to form a tubular portion, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 particularly, and saidoverlapped 2B of suitable flexible tape which is cemented 'or otherwise afiixed to the exterior of the overlapped material so as fto maintainthe same in t 'ular formation at 'said o'ne end "of the-memb'ei lfl as shown in crbssesection in'Fig.'2. I

j The/band "20 maybe formed fro'm material whichiseither'slightly elastic "or ine lastic. The

-circinnference of "the b'andfis preferably slightly less than the outer diarneter of thela-mp end "12 of "the flashlight, iwhe'lfby band 2 01Wi11 "rend m'b'er 'l8f capablefof being attached to the lamp end of the flashlight fl 0 "by slidably moving th'membr'lfl upon theflashlight from the're'arr end" thereof. The tubular endportion of them'mbenw 'surrounded by "the band '20 will be brought into engagement with thei'bell'ed section I i of the flashlight andwill prevent ber 18 "isofs'uchdength "that the forward fend 22 thereof will extend a substantial Fdistanc'e H e d-sli firli m which" are broughtihto mentwith the sides of the casingwlill. bu'lar'nd "of thefsignal'member is 'slid'ablyimoyed jintd erigagementwith the belled end [4, as clearly illustrated-in: Fig. 1. Suchfjs'n'ug. engagement' of themernber's '26 of the signal 1 inemb'rlB "with .the'sid'es offthe flashlightcasirigiserve to stiffen tended position forwardly 'beyon the am end I2 fof the' flashlight 10, "w ereby said rorward r and will beheld suchezitehfdedfposition as illustrated in Fig. 1 eventhough "the flashlight isWaved torch-like'jduringuse. owever, the

flexibilityfo'f themat'rial from which-the signal member is formed iwillalso permits certainjamount of waving Tof thei sig'nal member r at i'vemto the flashlight.towlirbyfsorhwhat ble .a waving flame -andthusI enh''ance the 1mg. effect. .Thesepaifation, foffthe edges-iq of" ejorward end. ortion;22 ;a1soflnhances this thejiiashlight,theledgesiza 6f mes naigmem- 4 ible, may readily be folded in flat condition when detached from the flashlight, whereby the signal member may be stored or shipped in compact, fiat, folded condition. Further, the circumference of the band 20 and the tubular portion of the signal member l8 adjacent the band is such that the signal member may readily be slipped onto the flashlight casing and permit passage of .the nember .1 8 o QI the switch l6 megflashughtjduriii isuehattachment of the member l8 thereto.

- The signal member I8, when not in use, may remainattached to the flashlight 10 if desired aiad the'-i-iexifloili-ty of the member l8 permits ;t he -s ame to befolded over the forward end 'of the flashlightand into close engagement with the looily therfas indicated in full lines in Ffig 3. In such condition, the flashlight and 's'ighalmember may readily be carried upon the person of the user in a coat or trousers pocket Withoiitfin "any wayfda'inagi-ng the sig'n al member or "flashlight and the signal m'ember' m'ay be" quickly withdraw-from 'suchpocket andbe frfilyfflk 1 instant" "use; The -normally rearward e'nd'i22 of {the signal member, when 'folded' backw'ard over the fflafshlight body as --shown -in; 3' wiirfrictionally engage the iriter'ior bf 'such 'po 'c ketjwhereb'y upon withdraw l m sash- "light from f-the pocket," the signal member W8 zwill" automatic-ally be-eirtended inoperative p0'si-' tion during such withdrawal. I-Iowever, i'f the signal member-is not anttinti'atically*ei'r't'er r'ded as aroresaiu, a simplejf ck shaking-'of-the j flashlight will cause the signalmemberto beextended immediately into operative; position as indicated in Fig.1 or in dot fand dashlines inFigEB.

v 'It will. alsob' o'td that during 'useth'e' -forwardbuter fend o the "signah member filjisopen and "such open end; as well as he-space between the diverging edgesidiot't "s1gnal-rr'1embe will permit conventional whit M htfrom' "the flashlight to shine forwardly *frdm the flashlight.

ismecesfs'ary: to us th ght foi" such urposes.

Thes gnm attachmentmayialsobe provided 1 7 j ridis'imilar'to'th'atshown ififi ig. i, fwherein ith gnal mmfber 515a 'iscohstru'c'ted so marine-rearward" edge 28 "thereof "isffolded aka-,9?,re si lm te hqsi::t tneriorwar endw a flashlight having a cylindrical casin of sub- 5 stantially uniform diameter throughout its length. Otherwise all other functions of the embodiment of signal member I8 shown in Fig. i are substantially similar to the embodiment thereof shown in Figs. 1 through 3.

It will thus be seen that the signal member comprising the present invention which is attachable to the forward end of a conventional flashlight is highly useful for signaling purposes by such persons as policemen and firemen for directing traffic or for use as road flares while making repairs or changing tires on a vehicle. The same may also be used in scouting for night signaling of code messages. Further, if one longitudinal half of the signal member is colored green, for

example, and the other longitudinal half is colored red, the signal member may readily be used as a boat light. If desired, the sheet-like material from which the signal member is formed may be manufactured so as to have a pebbled or so-called wafile finish, or the material may be formed so as against the sides of the flashlight so that the same may be stored, while attached to the flashlight,

within a small compact space such as Within a pocket of the clothes of a user or within the glove compartment of a vehicle without danger of breakage and and without being bulky or adding noticeably to the size of a conventional flashlight.

The signal member may also be used in inclement weather without being harmed or deteriorated and without impairing the signaling qualities of the member. Further, due to the open outer end of the signal member and open slit extending longitudinally inward from the forward end thereof, the flashlight may readily be used for conventional illuminating purposes for which flashlights are customarily used without requiring the detachment or rearrangement of the signal member from its normal operative position on the flashlight.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferred several embodiments and has included certain details, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and de- & scribed since the same may be carried out in other ways, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. For use with a conventional flashlight having a belled end of greater maximum diameter than the body of the flashlight, a signal member comprising a sheet of flexible foldable lightpenetrable material and having opposite edges of said sheet folded into overlapping relationship adjacent one end to provide a tubular portion disposable around the belled end of said flashlight, a band surrounding said tubular portion configuration and attached thereto, said band having a smaller circumference than that of the outermost part of said belled end of said flashlight, and skirt-like member integral with said signal member and extending beyond said band in a direction away from the lamp end of said flashlight when said signal member is attached thereto, the engagement of said tubular portion of said member with said belled end of said flashlight casing serving to urge said skirt-like members into firm engagement with said flashlight casing to thereby brace the opposite end of said signal member in extended substantially cylindrical position forwardly from the lamp end of said flashlight.

2. Signal means attachable to the lamp end of a flashlight comprising a sheet of foldable lightpenetrable material rolled into a generally tubular section adjacent one end thereof with the opposite edges overlapping, said generally tubular section being disposable about the lamp end of a flashlight, a band embracing said tubular section and said lamp end to securely clamp said tubular section to said lamp end, the other end of said sheet providing a generally cylindrical skirt extending beyond the lamp end of the flashlight, said skirt beng braced in extended position by clamping engagement of said tubular section and the casing of the flashlight and said skirt being foldable over the lamp end against the casing to permit compact storage of the flashlight and signal means while operatively connected.

FREDERICK E. BURDICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,634,014 Bragman June 28, 1927 2,092,664 Bray Sept. 7, 1937 2,114,635 Marshall Aug. 18, 1938 

